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Techniques Listing

One of the most interesting and exciting aspects of Shorinji Kempo is the wide variety of techniques there are to learn. At each advancement (belt) level, students are expected to demonstrate increasing understanding of a set of basic movements, established forms, embu, randori, new specific pair-form techniques, and philosophical and historical material. The requirements for the first (adult) belt level are modest, but get more challenging with each level.

While attaining ranks is not a primary goal of practice, most students find it helpful to know which techniques and movements they are responsible for learning to be ready for their next test, as a focus for their study. Each level includes techniques that build directly on ones learned at previous levels (e.g. sode make is introduced in the study for 1-kyu, but builds on the principles from kiri gote from 2-kyu), as well as ones that introduce new concepts (e.g. harai-uke geri in the study for 1-dan).

Belt ranks for adults begin with 3-kyu brown belt, or 3 steps from dan level, followed by 2-kyu, then 1-kyu, and then black belt levels: 1-dan, 2-dan, etc. The technique lists below are to just give a flavor of the number and complexity of techniques studied at each level. Full requirements appear in the official curriculum.

Technique Requirements for Belt Ranks in Shorinji Kempo (Abbreviated)

3 San-kyu
ryusui geri uchi uke zuki
ude juji gatame kote nuki
uwa uke geri gyaku gote
uwa uke zuki yori nuki
shita uke geri shita uke jun geri
maki nuki okuri gote
ryote maki nuki ryote yori nuki
tsuki ten ichi okuri maki tembin
ukemi tenchi ken dai ichi

2Ni-kyu
tenshin geri uchi uke geri
kiri nuki juji nuki
gassho nuki yoko tenshin geri
juji gote han tenshin geri
ryaku juji gote juji uke geri
ryote okuri gote kiri kaeshi nuki
sankaku nuki kiri gote
tsubame gaeshi chidori gaeshi
giwa ken dai ichi tenchi ken dai ni

1Ichi-kyu
soto uke zuki soto uke geri
jo haku nuki oshi kiri nuki
jo haku dori gyaku gote ura gaeshi nage
oshi uke zuki sode nuki
kusshin zuki kusshin geri
sode maki sode maki tembin
eri nuki ude maki
kata muna otoshi eri juji
sode dori tenchi ken dai san
ryuo ken dai ichi tenchi ken dai yon

1Sho-dan
ni dan nuki kinteki geri hiza uke nami gaeshi
oshi gote gyaku geri hiza uke nami gaeshi
furi ten ni mawashi geri sambo uke
oshi nuki kote maki gaeshi
keri ten san tsuki ten san
maki gote morote hiki nuki
morote juji nuki morote juji gote
harai uke geri tenchi ken dai go
oshi gote tenchi ken dai rokku
randori byakuren ken dai ichi

2Ni-dan
uchi age zuki uchi age geri
kai shin zuki maki otoshi
soto maki otoshi tsuki ten ni
tsuki nuki ryote tsuki nuki
kon ten ichi morote tsuki nuki
gyuku tenshin geri shita uke geri kote nage
tanto furi age tanto tsuki komi uchi otoshi geri
uwa uke nage uwa uke gyakute nage
jun geri chi ichi gyaku geri chi ichi
gyakute nage gyaku geri chi san
ryu nage soto maki tembin
age nuki idori okuri gote
tai ten ichi keri ten ichi sukui kube nage
uchi nuki hiji muki mae tembin
hiki muna otoshi nuki uchi oshi gote
ryo muna otoshi hiki otoshi
gyaku tembin morote oshi nuki
morote wa nuki morote maki nuki
baku ho okuri hiji zeme
tsuri otoshi okuri tembin dori
tsuri age dori okuri dori
gyaku ten ichi kiri kaeshi tembin
morote gyaku gote kiri kaeshi maki tembin
idori gyaku gote idori oshi gote
ko manji ken (manji no kata)

3San-dan
gedan gaeshi harai uke dan zuki
chudan gaeshi katate nage (shikake)
gyaku katate nage gassho katate nage
suigetsu gaeshi mikazuki gaeshi kari ashi
sode maki gaeshi hangetsu gaeshi sukui kube nage
sode guchi dori sode guchi maki
kiri kaeshi gote kiri kaeshi nage
fukko chi ni morote kiri kaeshi nage
harai uke chi ni okuri katate nage
jun geri chi san ryote katate nage
soto uke dan zuki morote katate nage
uchi age dan zuki shita uke dan zuki
konoha okuri konoha gaeshi
okuri yubi gaeshi sokuto geri hiki ashi nami gaeshi
uchi oshi uke geri dan geri sambo uke dan geri gaeshi
soto oshi uke geri maki juji gote
hiki tembin gyaku hiki tembin
okuri shishi dori gassho hiki tembin
gassho okuri dori furisute omote nage
morote okuri kote nage okuri tsuki taoshi
koshi kujiki Ryo no kata


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